Hello bonsai enthusiast. I am in the bay area California, but will be traveling a lot in the next few years due to work and just don’t have the time to dedicate to my trees anymore. I have most of these trees for a very long time and put lots of work into them. I want to get them to good homes. Do people know sites to sell or ways to sell their trees? I want to ask first before posting pictures here if it is ok to offer to sell them? Thank you,

Local bonsai clubs generally have regular auctions and some have programs to help members who need to downsize or liquidate a collection for whatever reason. By going through them you are more sure that the trees go to someone who not only appreciates them but also knows how to care for them. Generally, the clubs take a percentage of the sale to cover their costs (room rental, credit card fees, etc.) but most goes to the seller. Their is an article about exactly this subject in the latest ABS Journal.

Just a few things to consider when selling online. First, are you ready and able to safely ship trees? Some people just don’t want to deal with it. The Facebook groups are very active, and when items are priced well, they sell. I bought a Chinese quince through one of them earlier this year and had a great experience.

If you don’t want to ship, then it seems like there are very active clubs in your area. I’d imagine you could sell them locally with a lot less hassle. Having said that, it seems like people from different areas of the country are willing to pay a little more for material than others. Local supply and demand seem to play into it heavily (I’ve seen higher prices in the mid-west and east coast than the west coast).

Mathew,
Not sure where you live but if it’s near Santa Cruz, our club would help you sell your bonsai through a live and silent auction. We conduct these ofr our members when they are selling their collections.
If that sounds like something you would be interested in doing., let me know and we can discuss the particulars.
My name is Ed and I’ll look here for a response.
Best Bonsai Regards,
Ed

I believe SBBK which meets at the garden center in San Mateo is having there green elephant sale this month. For the good stuff, there is a silent auction. There is also a live auction, but I believe all proceeds go to the club for that part.

Most clubs have shows and some may allow you to sell your trees at a fixed price. (The club will take a percentage). I don’t know if there are any shows coming up.